The hospital opened its doors to valley fever research, offering veterinarians diagnostic options and some treatment choices not usually found in their practices, Matz pointed out. Dogs are typically given anti-fungal medications for at least six months to a year, but some may need extended or even life-long treatment to prevent relapses. If you notice sores on your dog's body, take it to the vet immediately. In Arizona, for instance, in 2007, there were 3,450 cases in Infection rates vary greatly by county, and although population density is important, so are other factors that have not been proven yet. 6. If you have recently traveled to or moved from a region where Valley Fever is commonly diagnosed and your dog is unwell, you The most common way to test for Valley Fever is with a titer—a test that measures the level of antibodies against Dogs that have been diagnosed with Valley Fever will be given anti-fungal medications which Valley Fever requires long-term treatment. Viral pneumonia. Question. Greater construction activity may disturb spores in the soil. Valley Fever is very easily managed after it is diagnosed, treatment is long term. This testing will most certainly include a Veterinarians in other parts of North America seldom, if ever see cases of valley fever. Vomiting or Regurgitation in Dogs and Cats? It has been also reported in south-central Washington State. An estimated 60% of people infected with the fungi responsible for coccidioidomycosis have minimal to no symptoms, while 40% will have a range of possible clinical symptoms.3% to 5% of infected individuals do not recover from the initial acute infection and develop a chronic infection. Our pet care experts can't wait to welcome you. The disease can In cats, symptoms may include skin lesions, fever, and loss of appetite, with skin lesions being the most common.Other species in which Valley fever has been found include livestock such as cattle and horses; llamas; marine mammals, including sea otters; zoo animals such as monkeys and apes, kangaroos, tigers, etc. Reasons for choice of medication include practitioner’s experience with the drugs, costs, side effects, efficacy, severity of illness, and convenience to the owner. The most common method of infection is through inhalation of spores that are released by disturbance of soil such as while digging. I wanted to let you know that Greenway Pet Clinic has also taken some extra preventative measures to ensure everyone’s safety, clients and employees alike. Observations suggest about half of dogs that are responding inadequately to a single drug will improve with the addition of terbinafine. Please look at this page for more in depth research on Valley Fever Contributors: Krista Williams, BSc, DVM; Cheryl Yuill, DVM, MSc, CVH Valley Fever endemic areas are among the fastest growing regions in the country, which makes encounters of animals and people with the fungus a likely event. Valley Fever in dogs, or coccidioidomycosis, is a disease caused by Coccidioides immitis fungus. The most commonly prescribed medications are ketoconazole (brand name Nizoral®), itraconazole (brand names Itrafungol® and Sporanox®), and fluconazole (brand name Diflucan®). For example, some dogs are born with poorly constructed or functioning kidneys and never reach totally optimum health. If you live in the southwestern United States, you’ve probably heard of Valley Fever, but are you familiar with how common and severe the disease can be in dogs? In California from 2000 to 2007, there were 16,970 reported cases (5.9 per 100,000 people) and 752 deaths of the 8,657 people hospitalized. When your dog poops the poop might be grey as opposed to the normal healthy brown color. There are only a few manufacturers left, which has driven the price up 5- to 10-fold, and has created a hardship for dog owners, especially of larger dogs. In these patients, the spherules continue to grow and eventually burst, releasing more infectious organisms to spread throughout the lungs or to other organs in the body where the cycle repeats itself over and over.Valley fever can take two main forms of disease in the dog, the primary disease and the disseminated disease.If you live in an area where this disease is prevalent and your dog is showing signs that are consistent with valley fever, your veterinarian will recommend diagnostic testing to determine whether your dog has this infection. Your pet should begin to feel better within 1-2 weeks of starting the anti fungal medications. Annales Cir. Related Questions . The highest incidence was in the San Joaquin Valley with 76% of the 16,970 cases (12,855) occurring in the area.There was an outbreak in the summer of 2001 in Colorado, away from where the disease was considered endemic. 4. Community Q&A Search. Valley fever tends to occur during certain seasons.This disease is common in humans, and has been isolated in dogs, cattle, horses, deer, elk, mules, llamas, apes, monkeys, kangaroos, wallabies, tigers, bears, badgers, otters, fish, and marine mammals.Dogs appear to be very susceptible to infections with valley fever, probably because they sniff the ground and dig in the dirt, potentially inhaling large numbers of spores at a time.The disease is contracted by inhaling fungal spores. What to Expect from your Pet’s Echocardiogram . Anemia is another symptom of elevated liver enzymes in dogs. If the results are not satisfactory, you can seek a second opinion.All Valley Fever medications have the potential to cause side effects in dogs.The side effects that are common to all of them are:In 2013, most of the manufacturers of generic fluconazole stopped making it.